Italian official figures say that 308 persons were lost out of 507 on board. Some of the American survivors swore that the Austrian submarine even shelled the lifeboats as the passengers were getting into them. The United States made representations, and the Austrian Government, after some parley, gave assurances which prevented a break.

On Dec. 3, 1915, a submarine, presumably Austrian, fired on the American oil steamer Communipaw, sailing from Portici, Italy, to Alexandria, Egypt. No damage was done to the Communipaw and no one was hurt.

The same submarine, presumably, attacked the American oil steamer Petrolite two days later off the coast of Tripoli. A sailor was injured by a shot into the Petrolite's engine room, and the submarine continued firing after the Petrolite had swung broadside so that the submarine commander could see her name painted on her side and the American flag flying between her masts. The submarine commander finally permitted the Petrolite to proceed after he had taken some of her stores. The American Government made representations to Vienna, which replied with a dispute over the facts. Diplomatic negotiations over the case are still unfinished.

A new crisis was developed by the destruction of the British liner Persia, on Dec. 30, 1915, southeast of Crete, while on her way to the Orient. American Consul McNeeley, on his way to his post at Aden, was among the 335 persons who lost their lives, of which two or more were Americans. The wake of a torpedo was seen, but no submarine was visible.

Germany, Austria, and Turkey denied responsibility. The United States again made representations and assurances were given for what Germany termed "cruiser warfare," which involved a promise not to sink any peaceful ships without warning or providing for the safety of those aboard.

With the passing of Winter Germany declared a new policy of sinking without warning any merchant ship carrying any armament whatever, and on March 1 the submarine campaign was resumed with renewed vigor.

Promptly on the first day of the new campaign the French liner Patria, carrying no armament, sailing from Naples to New York, was attacked without warning by a submarine north of Tunis. Passengers and crew saw the torpedoes pass under the Patria's

stern and some saw a periscope. The Patria put on full speed and escaped further attack, but had another narrow escape in the same way the next month. Americans were on board in both instances.

On March 9, 1916, the Norwegian bark Silius, while lying at anchor in Havre Roads, was torpedoed and sunk without warning. A survivor of the French steamer Louisiane, torpedoed fifteen minutes previously, 500 yards away, swore that he saw the submarine. There were seven Americans in the crew of the Silius and one was injured. Three men, not Americans, lost their lives. Germany disclaimed responsibility.

The next great passenger ship destroyed was the Dutch liner Tubantia. While she was in the North Sea, bound for Rio de Janeiro, an explosion rent the ship asunder, and she sank. Three Americans were passengers. All persons on board were saved except one Russian. Germany disclaimed responsibility for its submarines, torpedo boats, or mines. The Dutch Government made an investigation which indicated a submarine attack, and members of the Tubantia's crew testified to seeing the wake of a torpedo, but did not see a submarine.

On March 18, 1916, the British steamer Berwindvale, with four Americans on board, was torpedoed without warning off Bantry, Ireland, but no lives were lost.

On March 24, 1916, a German submarine chased the Dominion liner Englishman, bound from Avonmouth for Portland, Me., and while the crew was attempting to abandon the ship. shot away her starboard lifeboats. After more firing, as the crew was leaving the ship. the submarine torpedoed and sank her. One American of the crew was among the ten men lost. Many other Americans were aboard, having signed as Canadians. One of the rescued Americans testified that the submarine was the U-19.

The Crucial Sussex Case

On the same day came the culmination of a long list of submarine outrages, which caused President Wilson to lay the situation before Congress. This was the destruction of the French Channel steamer Sussex between Folkestone and Dieppe. All the evidence went to prove that the ship was torpedoed without warning, and, although Germany at first disclaimed responsibility, the statements which the Berlin Foreign Office made in its disclaimer went to prove that a submarine destroyed the ship. With bows shot away, the Sussex, kept afloat by her watertight bulkheads, was towed to Boulogne. Among her wreckage were found parts of a torpedo which, when compared with captured German torpedoes at the French naval station at Toulon, were pronounced by British, French, and American naval officers to be parts of the "warhead" of the German Schwartzkopf torpedo.

On March 27, 1910, the British ship Manchester Engineer, outbound from Philadel

phia, was torpedoed and sunk without warning thirteen miles south of Waterford, and the crew saw the periscope of a submarine for ten minutes. Two American negroes were in the crew of thirty-three. All on board were rescued.

The next day the British steamer Eagle Point was shelled by a German submarine 130 miles south of Queenstown. The Eagle Point gave up her attempt to escape, and her crew of forty-two, which included one American, took to the boats in a heavy swell and a stormy wind. All were saved. The submarine came up and sank the ship with a torpedo.

After Germany gave her promise as the result of the Sussex notes there was a temporary lull in submarine warfare, but within a few weeks it began again. By Oct. 1, 1916, the British Government has stated, 262 vessels had been destroyed by German submarines, following the Sussex case, and at least fifteen had been sunk without the warning Germany had promised she would give. The American State Department compiled reports on all the cases through diplomatic and Consular agencies, and about Oct. 1, 1916, it was stated officially that nothing had been found in any which could be taken as proof of a violation of Germany's promises.

Visit of the U-53

The next development came when Germany carried the submarine war to the American side of the Atlantic. On Saturday, Oct. 7, 1916, the German war submarine U-53 entered Newport Harbor unannounced, delivered a package of mail for the German Embassy, and departed as swiftly, as silently, as she had come. Within forty-eight hours afterward she sank five ships within sight of the American coast-three British, one Dutch, and one Norwegian. With the assistance of American destroyers, which witnessed the operations, all lives were saved. In each case the submarine commander gave legal warning and permitted the escape of passengers and crew.

Nothing was developed to show any breach of faith on Germany's part, although there was some discussion of whether the operation did not constitute an offense to the United States and, in fact, a pacific block-. ade of the American coast. There was some talk of asking Germany to keep her ships away from American ports, as had been done in the case of Great Britain's cruisers early in the war. But as the U-53 disappeared without sinking more ships, the matter did not reach a head.

In the meantime, however, the United States declined to accede to the view of the Allies that neutrals should bar their ports to submarines of all kinds, whether war or merchant.

On Oct. 26, 1916, the British merchant ship Rowanmore was attacked by a German submarine. She fled, but was overhauled and destroyed by gunfire. There was no loss of life, although two Americans and five Filipinos, (naturalized Americans,) the only Americans on board, stated that the submarine shelled the lifeboats as they were leaving the ship.

On Oct. 30 the British ship Marina, bound for the United States, was torpedoed and six of the fifty Americans on board were lost. Survivors said that two submarines torpedoed the ship without warning, and that the boats were compelled to leave her more than 100 miles from land in a heavy sea.

Investigation was ordered, and the German Government was asked for its version of the affair. It developed that the Marina had a 4.7-inch gun mounted astern, but survivors said no attempt was made nor opportunity had to use it. It was the first case of loss of American life since the Sussex case.

Then followed the attack on the American steamer Chemung, the loss of seventeen Americans on the steamer Russian, and, finally, on Jan. 31, a notice that a campaign of ruthlessness was to begin on Feb. 1, irrespective of the consequences.

A

Ningenious contrivance to protect New York Harbor from submarines has been constructed, consisting of a heavy steel wire net stretched between Sandy Hook and Rockaway Point, crossing the three channels-the Swash, the old Main Ship Channel, and the Ambrose Channel.

During daylight, when torpedo boat destroyers, airplanes, and a mosquito fleet, which will be created for the purpose, are sufficient to make it impossible for any

undersea craft to approach the harbor undetected, the net will be lowered so as to permit vessels to pass through the channels. From sunset to sunrise the net will be raised to bar all ingress for submarines at any depth. Similar steps are also being taken for the protection of other harbors on the Atlantic Coast; a net to protect the Norfolk Channel at Hampton Roads was in position by Feb. 20.

Netting is the first and most obvious